Laboratory-based, inquiry-oriented courses can help teachers develop the depth of understanding necessary to teach physics as a process of inquiry. For over 30 years, the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington has been offering such courses using Physics by Inquiry, a research-validated curriculum. (1) This workshop is intended for faculty and others responsible for the preparation and professional development of K-12 teachers. Participants will have hands-on experience with the curriculum. By examining pretest and post-test responses, participants will also gain insight into the impact of the curriculum on teacher understanding. Critical intellectual and practical issues associated with the development and implementation of such courses will be discussed.
(1) Physics by Inquiry, L.C. McDermott and the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington, Wiley (1996).
* Supported in part by the National Science Foundation, most recently under DRK-12 grant #0733276.